Not Your Average Mission
by Jadeah
Summary: You know something's wrong when: Mace Windu's acting strange, you're being sent to an unheard of planet, and the mission envolves a killer who leaves their victims drained of blood. It could mean nothing. But where this is going, that doesn't seem likely.
1. The Council

Nobody can antisipate when they'll get their missions. So why did Qui-Gon have a pretty good idea that one would be coming his way soon? Just a hunch, he guessed. But as the week carried on, small clues came up to the surface that made his guess more and more true. Until he and Obi-Wan were finally called to the council chamber.

Before even bothering to head in that direction, he walked straight to Obi-Wan's quarters. Where he almost walked in on the younger while he was getting dressed. Almost. If he hadn't realized by a startled yelp from the fifthteen year old inside that he was taken off guard, then he wouldn't have been able to shut the door again before it was too late. But that moment of awkward passed away quickly after they were both on their way to the council.

"Did Master Windu say what the mission would be?" Obi-Wan asked curiously as he pulled his braid out of his tunic.

Qui-Gon shook his head, "Nothing. He said that he would explain in the meeting."

Obi-Wan sighed quietly as he slowed a moemnt. A chill had suddenly raced up his spine and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. For a moment, his ears were burning as a high pitched ringing pierced them. He could see images, but they moved too fast for him to make any out. In a matter of seconds it was over with a shutter. His heart pounding for a short time after.

"What's wrong?" Qui-Gon asked as soon as Obi-Wan could actually hear him.

The padawan shook his head. "Nothing. I'm fine. Just a chill is all."

The older casted him a knowing look that said he knew he wasn't telling him to whole truth and continued walking. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Obi-Wan assured. "I guess it's just because I didn't sleep well or something."

"If that's the case then I'll pilot the ship while you get some rest." Qui-Gon told him calmly before reaching out to access the door pad. They were given permission the enter and the door opened before they stepped inside. The door sliding closed behind them.

It tok another second before Mace Windu decided to start up the metting. "It's good that you could see us today. There is a strange matter that I feel you may be able to tend to."

For a second, Qui-Gon stared at Mace, something was off about him. He couldn't place what it was, but soemthing didn't seem right. With a glance to Yoda, the look he recieved assurance that he wasn't the only one to notice and not know what was wrong. Maybe he was just tired like Obi-Wan was all.

"Are you familiar with the planet Halie?" Windu continued, without noticing the exchange of glances.

Qui-Gon shook his head. "No. I have never heard of one by that name."

"It's a planet in the further reaches of the Outer Rim." Master Windu explained. "None of us knew of it's existance either, until we had received a message from them. They requested Obi-Wan's help."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the younger's eyes widen in disbeleif, surprised. "Me?"

"Oddly yes." Plo Koon responded with a curt nod in the padawan's direction. He pushed up his breathing mask first before he went on. "It was strange, the person who sent the message acted like she knew you. We thought that you might of heard of the planet or was aware that someone lived there."

Obi-Wan was simply shocked, his expression spoke it all. Eyebrows rised practically to his hairline and jaw slightly slag as he stared at them. It took a moment before he shook the face away and found a more serious one. "I never heard a word of anyone who lived on this mysterious planet."

With this Mace Windu took over the meeting again. "She wanted you to help her, as mysterious disappearences were occuring, on occassion bodies were found drained of their blood-"

Qui-Gon froze like he were made of stone, his skin paled. He encountered a scientist who did just this, found force sensitive people and drained them of blood so she could study the force. The year prior, she had captured him and attempted to use him as a test subject, but she almost killed him after he was proving too stubborn for her and not providing what she wanted. If Obi-Wan hadn't broken into the lab and freed him, then he would be dead now.

Obviously, his look of horror was clear because everyone took notice. "Seen this before, have you, Qui-Gon?" Yoda asked, dispite already knowing the answer.

"Yes I have." He answered. "A scientist, Jenna Zan Arbor, drained force-sensitive beings of blood so that she could study the force. But she was brought to justice." He tried to meet some of the council's stares. "It's very unlikely that she could have escaped without our knowing of it. And what business would she have on an unheard of planet? She made diseases and cures to them so she would be paid. As twisted and unnerving as she is, I don't she would be involved with this."

"Maybe you could be right." Master Windu agreed. "This killer could always be somene else. But you understand what you are looking for?"

"Yes. We must look for the source of the killings and make sure that the situation is dealt with." Qui-Gon answered.

"Good. Now it may be best if you gain as much information as possible about this planet, just so that you may be a little prepared for what you have to face."

"I will see Tahl before I leave." He assured.

"May the force be with you."

With this, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon left the council chamber and went towards the most likely place where Tahl would be. But the silence that hung between them was more of both pondering. Evenually, Obi-Wan found himself the one to break it.

"Something is odd about Master Windu."

"I know." Qui-Gon replied shortly.

"Do you think it is something to be worried about?"

"Possibly."

Obi-Wan then looked up. "Do you think there might be a reason?"

"There usually is." Qui-Gon answered as the turbo-lift opened and they stepped into the hallway.


	2. Strange Behaviour

With Tahl, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan went over everyhting they could learn. But consitering no one has ever heard of Halie, thre was practically no information for them. Only some assumed coordinates. It seemed hopelessly obvious that they wouldn't find any useful imformation on the planet, so Tahl decided to show them the message. Obi-Wan was practically frozen to his seat, fixated on the hologram.

"Hello. I know you possibly don't know me. Or remember me. But I and my people are in desperate need of your help, Obi-Wan Kenobi." The speaker was a girl around Obi-Wan's age, with wavy hair that they couldn't distinguish a color because of the entire image being blue. But he knew the face, and those eyes. And he turned away from the hologram, it was Cestri. But he couldn't peel his gaze away for long.

She as a girl Obi-Wan knew on a mission. She worked with a group of children who called themselves "The Young". He had grown to love her, and he had left the Jedi so she could help her and the others win a Civil War. But then she was killed in the square, this for him was like having a limb torn off. He was heart broken. But she always wanted peace. Because she was gone, he had nothing left there and returned. Because of his mistake, it took so long to improve his relationship with Qui-Gon again. But he never forgot about her.

"My people are disappearing and soon are found dead, drain of their blood." Then her image looked up with large, pleading eyes that seemed to hold Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's attention. "Please come, Obi-Wan. And to those in charge of him, please let him. I need you. My people need you."

_They need me. I must help them._ Obi-Wan thought. _I must._

Then the hologram ended and the two were staring at the empty space where the girl's small figure was for another few seconds. For some reason, Obi-Wan felt more distant from himself than usual.

"Am I the only one who's noticed that everyone who watches this message starts behaving differently?" Tahl asked as she turned towards them. His sightless gold and green eyes fixed nearby the two.

Qui-Gon was first to answer. "I don't see anything wrong. And she does need help."

Tahl blinked and focused more on his general direction. "I should have figured you would too." She sighed. "Am I the last person here who can't seem to get what's so urgent an important with this single message. We get a ton of these and yet this one was suddenly top priority. What am I missing here that everyone hasn't?"

"You don't sense the desperation?" Obi-Wan exclaimed.

"No. I sense a voice that sounds a little to overly dramatic to me." Tahl retorted.

"Come, we must leave immediantly." Qui-Gon said as he stood up and walked towards the door, Obi-Wan matched his pace. All while Tahl stood there with confusion and misunderstanding written across her face. It wasn't long for them to get a transport and leave. But the trip was long and silent. Neither spoke, they were still focused on that message.

_Please come, Obi-Wan. And to those in charge of him, please let him. I need you. My people need you._

* * *

><p>The planet itself was mostly a rich blue. White crystaline formations were standing tall, straight out of the water and sparkling in the sunlight. Multiple platforms stuck out from the water, around the sizes of large cities. One in particular, a landing platform was ready for them, and they let their ship come to a smooth stop before they left the ship and were greeted by a lanky woman with light blonde hair tied back in a messy ponytail, a smile across her face.<p>

"It's so good to see you have come in our time of need, Obi-Wan." She said cheerfully. Then she casted Qui-Gon a glance, as if she were not expecting another to arrive. "And who might you be?"

"I am Qui-Gon Jinn. And I come with Obi-Wan because he is my apprentice." He answered.

She nodded, even though it was clear to anyone but the two that she didn't want anyone other than Obi-Wan there.

"Where is Cestri?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I'm sorry. I do not know of this 'Cestri'." She apologied.

"But I saw her in the message." He told her. "I didn't think it was possible, but I saw her."

"We have many people here, my friend." She responded as she looked up into his eyes. Her voice calm and words flowing like a song as her deep teal eyes shimmered. "You must have mistaken her for someone else."

"I must have mistaken her for someone else." Obi-Wan repeated back, then seemed to forget seeing Cestri in the hologram at all.

The woman smiled and looked up at Qui-Gon, who stood a head taller than her. "I'm so glad you came and joined us as well. The more help we may get, the better." Then she started walking, her silky white dress gliding across her soft pale skin and appearing to flow like the water and her voice. "Come, I will show you around our Capital city of Anlu."

So they followed her, seeing happy people roaming the streets of the platform city. There wasn't much transport on the streets, but at the docks, there were tons, some going from city to city, and others heading out on the water. Woman led their children through the marketplace and were haggling with merchants at stands. All around there were sky scrapers made from shimmering glass that almost matched the white crystals out in the ocean. Everything was peaceful and appeared to be serene.

Their guide then turned and said, "I will bring you to our governer's office, he will be pleased to know you have arrived." Then she led them inside one of the white glass buildings and they went to the top floor, where they had a view of the entire glistening platform city. Both stared out at the breath taking sight of the buildings shining like the crystals in the water.

It was then the door opened behind them, both turned, but neither expected what they saw.


	3. The Governer

There stood a man in the same silky white clothing as the woman, gray hair was cut short and his face clean shaven. Silver eyes sparkled like the water. "Ah, greetings Jedi. I am Governer Liji" He said warmly with a small bow that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan mimiced. "I had heard you had arrived but I could not believe it was this soon, Obi-Wan." He continued on as the padawan nodded. "Surely it must have been an exhausting journey, since Coruscant is so far away from here."

Come to think of it, Obi-Wan hadn't noticed the long flight. He didn't feel tired or nervous or anything at all. But now that he heard it, he was starting to feel a little tired. "Thank you for your consern. The flight was long, but it was worth it. This is a stunning city no matter how far we need to travel to see it." He responded.

"Thank you." The governer smiled brightly. "I am glad to hear that you think my city is truely a sight of beauty. It means you will want to find this killer, so that you will want to stop him or her and restore peace and security to it."

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon both nodded, listening to every word. It was impossible not to.

"Fantastic." The governer beamed. "Then I will let you stay in my residence, it is the least I can do. Come, I have much to show you."

So they followed the overly entusiastic man to a turbo-lift, it was transparent and on the side of the building, so it looked like you were floating. Because of the feeling, Obi-Wan stuck to the wall to avoid falling over as they started down a few floors rapidly. And it stopped with a sudden jolt that sent him stumbling. The governer, woman, and Qui-Gon were all uneffected by it. Now they stepped inside an appartment, it was simply a lot of blues and white, and with the light from the windows, it was almost blinding. Not that Governer Liji noticed.

"I have a guest room down the hall where you may stay." He told them. Then he walked down the hall and left Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan with the guide.

She smiled. "Isn't he delightful?"

"He certainly is friendly." Obi-Wan noted.

"He has been our leader for twenty seven years now." She mentioned. "And he has not done us wrong yet."

They turned around to face the governer as he stood next to a younger woman with light sandy hair and a girl with wavy blonde hair and clear blue eyes like the woman's. "My wife, Sila-" The woman bowed slightly. "And my daughter Redulia." The girl gave a curt nod.

"A pleasure." Qui-Gon responded, now taking over the welcoming business. Obi-Wan only blinked, stunned. That was the girl from the hologram! She looked just like Cestri dispite the hair and eye color!

"Redulia is the one who sent you the message." Governer Liji explained. "But she didn't think you would come."

Her gaze was on Obi-Wan and she smiled shyly as her cheeks turned light pink before she brushed past her father and returned to some place in the hallway. She hadn't said a word, but Obi-Wan still felt his insides twist, he was nervous. But of what?

"I should get dinner ready." Sila said as she walked over to the kitchen. Governer Liji watched her disappear behind the door before he sat himself down on a sapphire couch.

The guide looked up at the clock and gasped, "I have some business to attend to. Goodbye!" Then she rushed to the turbo-lift and left the appartment. That was the least happy they had seen someone here, only she was just rushed, not that she wasn't happy.

More conversation went on about the issue, and where the bodies had been found. It was a bit later when Sila called them for dinner. The two got up and followed the governer to his dining room and took their seats. Sila placed a pie on the table, and from the smell, everyone knew it was a meat pie. Obi-Wan couldn't even remember breakfast that morning, let alone lunch.

Redulia came into the dinning room, she had pulled her hair back in a silver clip and changed out of the white dress to a blouse and tousers. Governer Liji casted her an odd look. "I thought you said you were simply going to wash your face, dear?"

She nodded. "And I have. I just didn't want to get my dress dirty." There was obviously something else she left out, but no one pressed it as she took a seat beside Obi-Wan and quietly got piece of the meat pie and started to eat quietly.

Obi-Wan didn't seem to notice at first, he was too absorbed in the pie to take into note that she had sat next to him. But when he was halfway through, he realized it and felt his ears burn, and they were probably scarlet in a matter of seconds. He hadn't realized how rude he felt about not noticing her close presence until now.

Maybe he'd get over it later. Maybe. If not, he could always focus on the mission and keep her from his mind. If that was possible.


	4. Sunsets

After the dinner, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were brought to the guest room and left to get ready for some well needed rest. Outside, the sun was sinking behind the water and making the ocean a deep copper and a scarlet. Obi-Wan didn't do much except kick off his boots and lay down on the sleep couch. Qui-Gon didn't do much better.

Soon, Redulia came into the room, still in the attire she had on during dinner, her blue eyes locked on Obi-Wan. "I thought maybe you would want to go on a walk with me." She said quietly. It was strange. On the hologram she was steady and confident, but now she was shy and quiet. "I would go alone, but my father said he didn't want me to go by myself."

Obi-Wan looked to Qui-Gon for approval and his Master nodded. So Obi-Wan slipped on his boots and walked up to Redulia before looking back over his shoulder at Qui-Gon. "I will be back soon."

"Don't get lost." Qui-Gon responded with a suttle grin. "I don't want to look for you."

"I won't." Obi-Wan assured before walking out with Redulia. They walked straight to the tubor-lift before going down to the streets and Obi-Wan followed her through the thinning streets. She had walked all the way to the ocean where she stood there looking over the edge. Wind blow back her blonde hair and her ocean blue eyes caught glimmering shims of yellow and red from the sunset as her skin was more golden looking than it's light and freckled appear in normal light.

He found himself standing next to her, the view was beyond what he had seen in a long time. The white crystal pillars and archs glimmered in gold and scarlet light with the now black water reflecting the sunset. Two moons were floating in the sky, one silver, the other a light tinted red.

He hadn't had the time to put everything together before he felt something warm take hold of his hand. He glanced down to see Redulia's slender and soft hand holding onto his cooler and stronger one. His cheek grew hot, but the light of the sunset hid it well.

"Redulia," He removed his hand. And she looked a little hurt. "I'm sorry, but I'm here on business."

She looked down. Then after a long moment, she as a small tear escaping as she choked on her words. "My boyfriend was one of the people who were killed." She admitted. "You and my Dario look so much alike. I'm sorry, I just..."

Understanding hit him like a heavy weight. She was simply trying to fill back what she lost. "I see. I'm sorry, but you know I must leave once my mission is done."

"You don't have to leave, you know." She told him quietly. "You could stay here."

Obi-Wan looked down and sighed, "It doesn't work like that, Redulia. I cannot leave them. They are like my family."

Before he could even stop her, she stood up taller and kissed him! Eyes wide, he stepped back as a hand touched his lips.

"I thought I had told you that I can't." He said calmly. Loosing his temper wouldn't get him anywhere.

"I know... I just..." She then really started to cry, although it more of quiet sobs, tears were running down her cheeks and her usually perfect blue eyes were red.

He touched her shoulder, a simple gesture to show that he didn't mean to hurt her feelings. He didn't know how far such a thing could go with someone like Redulia. She looked up sadly and met his eyes. For some reason, he was able to think a little clearer than earilier.

And now, he was able to see how out of character he and Qui-Gon had acted since they arrived. Well, Qui-Gon was usually a secluded man anyways, but he normally wasn't as quiet as he was. And Obi-Wan wasn't much a talker either on missions, that was usually what he left to his Master because of his sureness. But here, he had done most of the talking. He had told himself that it was because they requested for him personally, and not his Master, but was that really the reason?

There was also all of the happy smiles and bright eyes. He paused his thoughts and kept to that one part. Was it their eyes? They were human, right? They looked like it. But then how could it be their eyes? He didn't know, they were just so perfect that it was almost scary now that he was thinking about it with a clearer head.

But what about Tahl? She was uneffected from the hologram she played, she even noted that everyone who has had acted strangely after. But she... was blind! She can't see the eyes anyways so they had no hold on her! It couldn't be more stupidly obvious! Mace Windu, he saw the hologram and suddenly saw it as important to send Obi-Wan here, Qui-Gon had seen it and was all of the sudden more willing to go than before hand and quit questioning Windu's odd behaviour, and Obi-Wan himself had also seen it, and he felt he had to go and help them! That was it! Tahl seemed unconvinced of it's importance over other requests, and she had heard the hologram, but never actually seen it. She wasn't effected cause she hadn't been able to look at the eyes!

Involintarily, he stepped backwards. "You were controlling us."

Redulia looked down. "I saw no other way to bring you here. I knew you wouldn't come if I simply asked."

And that voice. It was always so perfect as well, but that wasn't why he had felt so strange. That wasn't why he was under their control. He found himself steeling himself, making his mind an unpenitrable fortrace. Then he pinned her to the wall. "I want answers. Now."

She sniffled. "My people were always stronger willed. We could bring anything under our influence, and when this killer was on the loose, none of us were sure we could bring the person down. So we had to bring the Jedi into our situation. I knew that you wouldn't listen to an unheard of planet in a very unexplored part of the universe, so I had to manipulate you so that you would."

"And how did you know my name? I never met you before in my life! And why would I be of use to you when they are so many others?" Obi-Wan interrogated.

"I- I had a vision, of you killing the killer! And everyone was thankful, they were cheering your name! I knew I had to find you!" She exclaimed.

He gripped her wrists a little tighter. "And what about Qui-Gon? Everyone I've seen was surprised to see him with me. What did you tell them?

"He- was not in my vision! And so I told them that it was you alone!" Then she looked up into his eyes, the whites pearly again. "But you do not want to kill me. And you want to let me go."

His breathing was ragged as he forced the voice that lingered out so he could keep in control. "No. I'm still not done with you."

"Yes you are."

"No." He looked at something else than her eyes, the wall her forehead her cheek, something else. As long as it wasn't her eyes.

"It's too late." She suddenly sighed.

"It's too late for what?" Obi-Wan growled as he pressed her to the wall tighter. But then he saw Qui-Gon battered and bruised on the floor and the room a mess. "No. Qui-Gon!"

He let go and started running, ignoring the turbo-lift and leaping up the levels upon levels of stairs until he came to the appartment room where he kicked the door open and ran inside. Redulia was right behind him as he swung open the door to the guest room to find it torn apart! A sleep couch over turned and everything scattered and broken or ripped. The window was broken.

"Qui-Gon!" Obi-Wan called, but no answer. He wasn't in the room, he wasn't even in the appartment at all. He had left him and now he was missing! It was all his fault!


	5. Missing

"Qui-Gon!" Obi-Wan called again, though he knew it was useless. His Master was gone. And now he was alone. He would have to find him, and fast. He reached out to the force, trying to find Qui-Gon's precence, at least a glimmer of hope that he'd be alive. But nothing. Only gray and static. By now he was hyperventilating as he couldn't keep himself calm. Qui-Gon had gone missing before, but when he was found he was weakened for a few weeks afterwards while he was recovering from sever blood loss.

Then he turned and glared at Redulia, "This is because of you! You lured me out so you could take him!"

At first, he thought he'd get a deffinate yes. But instead the girl started crying. "Okay! Yes, I did! But I was doing what my parents told me to! You're friend, he wasn't needed! We had to get rid of him!"

"Where?" Obi-Wan questioned as he stepped forward.

"I- I don't know! My father wouldn't tell me!" She cried. "He said something about him being of value! And- and something about midi-chlorians-!"

"Midi-chlorians?" Obi-Wan stood there, shocked and breathing heavily from the climb up a fifthy story building by stairs.

"I don't know! Some virus? How should I know what it is?" She snapped.

He narrowed his eyes. "Midi-chlorians are a microscopic life forms that live in our blood. It's what allows me and Qui-Gon to use the force." He sighed and shook his head, knowing what was happening. "He's going through the same thing all over again..."

"What?"

Again, he shot a glare. "You got him in this mess, I don't have to trust you."

"But the killer-!"

"Find someone else to get rid of the killer, because I have to find my Master." He was surprised at how even his tone had come out for once before he turned and started searching the rooms. Redulia didn't try to stop him, she just sat on the couch staring at floor.

It was probably an hour later when he found a datapad, and he could assume it would be hours more until he cracked the codes and found useful information.

* * *

><p>It was shortly after Obi-Wan left. Qui-Gon was simply laying there on the sleep couch, trying to bring himself to rest for even a little while. But constant flickers of emotions from Obi-Wan would snap him back. He felt so distant. And he himself felt so distant from reality.<p>

Soon Sila came in with her bright smile as she sat down on other sleep couch, looking at Qui-Gon quietly. They just stared at each other, for what seemed like hours. It wasn't hours. It was maybe a few moments.

"Where is your Obi-Wan friend?" She asked.

"He left to take a walk with Redulia." He answered as he found himself lost again with holding her steady gaze. He couldn't snap himself out of it, he wasn't able to look away. For something that seemed creepy and wrong, it had some sort of good feeling to it that he wasn't even sure of.

"Qui-Gon?"

"Yes?"

Her expression was open. "Do you trust me?"

He knitted his eyebrows a moment, this question should have tripped him up and sent his inner alarms ringing, but it seemed that those alarms were out of service for that moment. He said yes.

She then stood and sat on his sleep couch, he was laying down and using his elbows for support so he could look at her. Her delicate fingers traced down a sleeve of his tunic, not seeming to have a care about personal space that should have existed. "Oh my, you're hurt!"

This made his eye open wide as he found where her finger tips stopped, his collarbone. He now could see the blood staining his tunic. His breath hitched a second. "I don't know how this happened. No one touched me at all. I didn't feel anything."

"That's very odd. Here, let me take a look." She insisted, and he allowed her to move the cloth of his tunic out of the way so they both could see the gash just below his collarbone. It wasn't horribly deep, but it could need stitches if he didn't get some bacta. Then her eyes locked on another spot, just near the bottom of his ribcage. "There's more blood here! Qui-Gon, take off the tunic and let me see this better."

He undid his belt and pulled the tunic off, and of course, she was right. Another wound was there, as well as eleven others litered across his chest and back. Sila blushed a little (or he thought she did, it could have been a trick of the light) as she looked over his taut muscles that defined his body from years of missions and training. He didn't lay down anymore, now he was sitting so he wouldn't feel as exposed as he did while she examined the ghostly wounds.

Then he heard a click.

In that second, his mind had cleared, he knew the sound of his lightsabor being unclipped from his belt, and he immediantly stood and pulled his weapon back to his hand through the force. She smirked.

"So you've finally figured it out."

"And not a moment too soon." Qui-Gon turned to see Governer Liji in the doorway, his glare was on the two. He wasn't the gitty man from earlier. He was angry. "I can still see what I can learn from your blood." He said as he aimed a blaster.

In that second, Qui-Gon acted, and not a moment too soon as he knocked the governer into the window, the glass exploded on contact and the shards littered around them.

"I should have seen this before." Qui-Gon thought aloud. "I should have known something was wrong with this planet."

Suddenly the two were after him, a sleep couch over-turned and objects thrown by Qui-Gon to create obsticles. But it wasn't long before Governer Liji managed to hit.

The blaster hit him in the shoulder, and Qui-Gon gripped it protectively as Sila approached. He scooted back into the wall, unable to escape her as she brought out a tazer and forcefully slammed it down his chest! In moments, he couldn't hear his screams, only a blast of harsh ringing before everything was gone from him and the world was consumed in black.


End file.
